————————————————————————— T R E M O L O For most, the off-day that lacked in any real challenges (besides the food fiasco, though most moved on from that with minimal difficulty) provided minimal yet much-needed downtime. Some managed to sleep a few hours more than usual. Others indulged in rationing out their gummies, blissfully unaware of the gnawing hunger that was to come. Some even managed to make allies and partner up with someone to share the upcoming burden of the next singing competition. But as the night fell once again and the pale moon glistened through crumbling plywood and frayed tarp, voices could be heard down one of the corridors. Usually the kidnappers payed heed to their sleeping victims and kept their voices to a mere whisper after the sun had set through spindly trees, but today, they took no such precautions. Because as the moon was strung directly above the skylight, a blood-curdling scream shook the entire building, followed by profound cursing, then silence. Whoever made the commotion didn’t sound like one of the kidnappers. Minutes after, the group of kidnappers started to speak. Their words, unrecognizable and muffled, were still heard in fragments by the victims locked up in their rooms. There was yelling, arguing. Until it all ended with the sound of someone slamming something against a table. A single voice, which most could infer was the person who had done the slamming, rang clearly throughout the hall. “We aren’t going to die. We just need to move faster. Deal with her, and tomorrow, we kill more.” ————————————————————————— The morning after that night was different. “Everyone. Get up.” The voice over the intercom system snapped, letting out a discordance squeak from microphone interference that would certainly wake up anyone who hadn’t been up yet. The leader didn’t seem to be in a good mood, to say the least. His usual, sing-song ‘good morning, everyone’ had dissipated into something much harsher, much more... rushed. He didn’t seem to want to waste any time today. As the 25 victims emerged from their rooms, they first saw a profound lack of decoration. And then, upon further inspection, there was a television set sitting at the bottom of the first floor, similar to ones that schools would drag out so that children could watch educational VHS tapes. The screen was black, and the second kidnapper stood beside it, carefully leaned up against the rolling cart that it sat on. Once everyone had made it downstairs, the voice continued speaking on the intercom system. “Sit. Everyone sit.” They instructed. Once everyone had awkwardly crouched down on the floor the kidnapper turned the television on. It was paused on what seemed to be a news casting station. The kidnapper then pressed a button, letting the clip play. ————————————————————————— “Hello, I’m Anne Bittner, and this is National News Now.” A young woman introduced. She sat behind a pristine desk, hands folded over each other, staring dead into the camera. “Following up on the most recent, nation’s largest kidnapping, we now have government officials working this case. FBI has been sent out to cooperate with the local police forces. An inside source claims agents have a potential lead on one of the suspects in question, and predicts that hostages will be freed within the next few days.” She explained. As she spoke, a picture of the Blueberry Festival and a ‘Welcome to Beuchene’ sign popped up on the screen, before flashing back to video feed of her sitting at the desk. “And that’s your National News Now. Stay tuned for—” ————————————————————————— The television set flicked off. The second kidnapper looked around, bored. “We show you this not to give you hope.” The leader continued over the intercom system. “We show you this as a warning for what is to come.” He stated cryptically. “We have intercepted a package from the agents working to find all of you. You’ll get to see it very soon. But for now, follow the kidnapper next to the television set. When you get into the room that today’s challenges will partake in, do not touch anything.” He instructed. The kidnapper motioned for them to follow her, then started off, resting her hands on her gun as she led them all back to the studio. This time, another door was opened, which the kidnapper led them into. When they made it inside… (cont.)
